Its Winter. Tell your racing life's story.

pittsburghracer · Dec 19, 2018

Mine started out for several years on the street. First a 1970 Ford Maverick with a 300 straight six cylinder. Then in 1978 I bought my first Mopar and had a very good street racing record with my modified 340 (4 speed) It ran a best of 11.80

Post em up guys its gonna be a LONG Winter.

My old Duster at Keystone 001 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

John's 1972 Duster on a Nu-Be weekend 001 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

Then I wanted to build a big block car so locally I found a 1969 Dart roller and put together my first big block. Quickest ET with it was right around a 10.30.

69 dart 001 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

69 Dart at Norwalk with dad 001.jpg_thumb by John Cadamore, on Flickr

Then a Friend was selling a VERY clean 1974 roller so with a .030 over 440, stock rods reworked, and a stock crank it went 9.82

race cars 002 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

Norwalk many years ago 001 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

Then a 1982 Dodge Charger. Same engine combo and a little slower it was consistently in the 10.0's

82 charger 001 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

82 charger 001 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

Then it was time to step up my game and go faster. I bought my 1991 Dodge Daytona and fell in love with it. Over the years it had 3 different paint sceams and quickest ET was low 8.40's@160 mph. I bought my black 1970 during this period and my Son drove it till I rolled my Daytona when an oil line broke in 2010

006 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

174 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

norwalk d by John Cadamore, on Flickr

After my wreck I started driving my 1970 Duster. When we bought it she was running high 11.80's but with lots of updates its now in the low 9.40's

Halloween Classic 20018 001 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

Untitled by John Cadamore, on Flickr

My story ends there until the 2019 when I hope to FINALLY hit the track with two of my other project cars. Health issues have hit me and slowed me some but I'm thinking these will be finished in time for race season.

daytona and new duster 008 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

572 install 004 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

tonysrt · Dec 19, 2018

John you've been blessed with the ability and the knowledge to go fast and win. I hope you're medical issue doesn't slow you down. May you continue your success.

pittsburghracer · Dec 19, 2018

tonysrt said:
John you've been blessed with the ability and the knowledge to go fast and win. I hope you're medical issue doesn't slow you down. May you continue your success.

Thank you Sir. Its been a fun ride for sure. I lost 55 pounds by watching carbs and walking 4 miles a day 5-6 days a week. Then poop kinda hit the fan in 2016 and I haven't been the same since. Hopefully hit the gym again soon.

Darter6 · Dec 19, 2018

In 1966 I would go with my brothers to Pittsburgh International Dragway,best known as PID. The oldest brother raced a Nash Metropolitan in Stock,then a brand new 67 Firebird. That got me started in Drag Racing.
I started racing At Keystone Raceway Park in 1973.Raced a Honda CB 350.Around 77 I raced my 63 Plymouth.(photos)Total cost race ready was $1500. All used parts. My hero's at the track were Carl Shotti (I'm sure my spelling is wrong) and Wes Lepold.I watched these guys when my brother was racing back in 69. The Steel City Wedge was the baddest car at the track.My 63 car came from Jim Kramer. A friend bought it for the Dana 60 with 5.38 gears and sold me the rest for $15.That included a rusty set of Hooker adjustable headers.A rusty 69 Charger R/T ($500) supplied the rest of the running gear.I sold my 63 to get married.Got it back 37 years later.
After 20 years (married) I got back into racing(DIVORCE) with a Slant six 12 second 67 Dart. Raced that thing all over the country. Then my 65 Belvedere 451 Stroker for a season touring the country, then back to the Slant Dart. Sold the 67 Dart to a guy in Pittsburgh that still races it.
The 65 Belvedere now has a 472 Hemi and has been put back on the street.
Currently rebuilding the 63 Belvedere to someday race again.
All of the photos are at Keystone Raceway Park.

pittsburghracer · Dec 19, 2018

LOVE it!!!!!!!!! Thanks for posting.

Red63440 · Dec 19, 2018

Seems like there are a lot of Keystone Raceway guys on here although I started racing in 70 at Pittsburgh International Dragway with a 1966 Plymouth Valiant that I had bought for $600.00. I worked in the steel mill in McKessport and lived right beside the new 4 lane they had built between White Oak and McKeesport and after a couple of close calls with the police for street racing I started racing at PID. The car had a 318 in it when I bought it and I pulled that out and replaced it with a 340 with a 727 behind it with a set of 4.56 gears. Nothing near as fancy as what you had John but a lot of fun just the same and one of the better times in my life. The car was blue with gold center section on the side and won a lot of races both at PID and at Keystone but in 1976 I built a home and sold my car, sorry guys I have a few photos but its been years since I have seen them. My sister and brother in-law both raced at Keystone although he was a Chevy guy, his name was Bob and he ran a red Camaro and my sisters name is Lori and she drove a rail and both of them were very involved with the racing crowd. He had a semi with a huge enclosed trailer, their kids ran mini dragsters too, ah for the old days.......The Steel City Wedge was a beast and one of my favorites. I can remember being at Keystone the day when Sox and Martin and Wally Booth in Gremlin X squared off, good times to say the least.

Cope · Dec 20, 2018

Grew up with my folks sponsoring race cars and running our race boat on the weekends.

Always wanted something fast that I could call my own.

My first cars was a formula firebird, bought and paid for by my hard work.

That car got hit and destroyed by a drunk with no insurance and I went through a string of crappy cars.

Spent 2 years hitchhiking in the snow to build a LC engineering stage 5 red head and put it in a 4x4 truck. (I was the first to do something that dumb)

Sold the truck and got my dart as part of the deal. (Factory bench pos, 318, 904, peg leg)

Mtrhead · Dec 20, 2018

pittsburghracer said:
Mine started out for several years on the street. First a 1970 Ford Maverick with a 300 straight six cylinder. Then in 1978 I bought my first Mopar and had a very good street racing record with my modified 340 (4 speed) It ran a best of 11.80

Post em up guys its gonna be a LONG Winter.

View attachment 1715264107My old Duster at Keystone 001 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

View attachment 1715264108John's 1972 Duster on a Nu-Be weekend 001 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

Then I wanted to build a big block car so locally I found a 1969 Dart roller and put together my first big block. Quickest ET with it was right around a 10.30.

View attachment 171526410969 dart 001 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

View attachment 171526411069 Dart at Norwalk with dad 001.jpg_thumb by John Cadamore, on Flickr

Then a Friend was selling a VERY clean 1974 roller so with a .030 over 440, stock rods reworked, and a stock crank it went 9.82

View attachment 1715264111race cars 002 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

View attachment 1715264112Norwalk many years ago 001 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

Then a 1982 Dodge Charger. Same engine combo and a little slower it was consistently in the 10.0's

View attachment 171526411382 charger 001 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

View attachment 171526411482 charger 001 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

Then it was time to step up my game and go faster. I bought my 1991 Dodge Daytona and fell in love with it. Over the years it had 3 different paint sceams and quickest ET was low 8.40's@160 mph. I bought my black 1970 during this period and my Son drove it till I rolled my Daytona when an oil line broke in 2010

View attachment 1715264115006 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

View attachment 1715264116174 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

View attachment 1715264117norwalk d by John Cadamore, on Flickr

After my wreck I started driving my 1970 Duster. When we bought it she was running high 11.80's but with lots of updates its now in the low 9.40's

View attachment 1715264118Halloween Classic 20018 001 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

View attachment 1715264119Untitled by John Cadamore, on Flickr

My story ends there until the 2019 when I hope to FINALLY hit the track with two of my other project cars. Health issues have hit me and slowed me some but I'm thinking these will be finished in time for race season.

View attachment 1715264120daytona and new duster 008 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

View attachment 1715264121572 install 004 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

Mtrhead · Dec 20, 2018

Awesome story guy and great resume

SSG_Karg · Dec 20, 2018

pittsburghracer said:
Mine started out for several years on the street. First a 1970 Ford Maverick with a 300 straight six cylinder. Then in 1978 I bought my first Mopar and had a very good street racing record with my modified 340 (4 speed) It ran a best of 11.80

Post em up guys its gonna be a LONG Winter.

View attachment 1715264107My old Duster at Keystone 001 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

View attachment 1715264108John's 1972 Duster on a Nu-Be weekend 001 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

Then I wanted to build a big block car so locally I found a 1969 Dart roller and put together my first big block. Quickest ET with it was right around a 10.30.

View attachment 171526410969 dart 001 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

View attachment 171526411069 Dart at Norwalk with dad 001.jpg_thumb by John Cadamore, on Flickr

Then a Friend was selling a VERY clean 1974 roller so with a .030 over 440, stock rods reworked, and a stock crank it went 9.82

View attachment 1715264111race cars 002 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

View attachment 1715264112Norwalk many years ago 001 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

Then a 1982 Dodge Charger. Same engine combo and a little slower it was consistently in the 10.0's

View attachment 171526411382 charger 001 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

View attachment 171526411482 charger 001 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

Then it was time to step up my game and go faster. I bought my 1991 Dodge Daytona and fell in love with it. Over the years it had 3 different paint sceams and quickest ET was low 8.40's@160 mph. I bought my black 1970 during this period and my Son drove it till I rolled my Daytona when an oil line broke in 2010

View attachment 1715264115006 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

View attachment 1715264116174 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

View attachment 1715264117norwalk d by John Cadamore, on Flickr

After my wreck I started driving my 1970 Duster. When we bought it she was running high 11.80's but with lots of updates its now in the low 9.40's

View attachment 1715264118Halloween Classic 20018 001 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

View attachment 1715264119Untitled by John Cadamore, on Flickr

My story ends there until the 2019 when I hope to FINALLY hit the track with two of my other project cars. Health issues have hit me and slowed me some but I'm thinking these will be finished in time for race season.

View attachment 1715264120daytona and new duster 008 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

View attachment 1715264121572 install 004 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

Hey John, would you happen to have any more old pics of Nu-Be? My dad used to run an orange 70 Super Bee there through the 1970s but sadly he has no pictures of it anymore.
By the way, I still want to get down your way to chew the rag a bit and perhaps you could take a glance at my W2s and give me your expert opinion.

pittsburghracer · Dec 20, 2018

Mtrhead said:
Awesome story guy and great resume

Thank you Sir. Probably the thing that surprises most of my Friends is not that I've stuck with it for 46 years but the fact is my Father had zero interest in cars. Sure he went to several races I raced at but that was just because he wanted to see what I loved about it. To him he wanted enough horsepower to pull trailers nicely as he loved camping. Sometimes back in my street racing days if I had an issue or wanted to test we would run bird-dog for me to check for cops. LOL

pittsburghracer · Dec 20, 2018

SSG_Karg said:
Hey John, would you happen to have any more old pics of Nu-Be? My dad used to run an orange 70 Super Bee there through the 1970s but sadly he has no pictures of it anymore.
By the way, I still want to get down your way to chew the rag a bit and perhaps you could take a glance at my W2s and give me your expert opinion.

View attachment 1715264269

Most of the pictures I have are on the Nu-Be facebook group. Pretty sure I posted the link to that but if not remind me to do so. You are welcome over anytime but I honestly don't spend the time in the shop like I used to. I hope that changes soon as I have four engines that need built or freshened over the Winter. 572, 505, 422, 360.

pittsburghracer · Dec 20, 2018

Wholly crap guys I thought this was a Mopar Racing website. Let’s see those babies and tell us a story

8 second dart · Dec 20, 2018

I was lucky I grew up around drag racers up the street from were I lived I watched them test in the street, I worked all summer 1977 and at 15 I brought my first car a 1969 mustang 351 auto that was the start my second car 1967 big block 4 speed mustang 12.90 boy I thought it was fast in 1980 I bought my first moper 1967 GTX I still own it drove it everyday till 1986 my first new car monte SS I wanted to build a race car my friends talked me out of cutting my GTX so got my dart I just love going A to B and trying little things to go faster I've been lucky and blessed to be able to race all these years and many more to come the friends I've made is one of the best thing about racing and having a great wife who deals with me and my racing going on almost 30 years....

bobtile · Dec 20, 2018

The first car I'll owned was a 73 340 4spd. Duster. First thing I did when I bought it at 16 was pull the motor and rebuilt it. Pretty fast for the time. It ran 12.90's the couple times I had it at Englishtown.
I mostly street raced up until the late 80's when I decided girls were more important.
I never did any type of legitimate track racing until about 5 years ago.
In 2003, my wife bought me what essentially were the remains of a 68 GTX for my 40th birthday.
I replaced every piece of metal in that car except the roof.
It took me 8 years in my driveway to build it.
I just wanted it for cruise nights originally.
After 2 years of that, I got bored and started racing it. I got it to eventually run 11.20@121.
I was pretty excited to try and get that down to break into the 10's, but after a couple years of beating on it a valve broke.
I was getting heat from the tracks at that point for going low 11's with no bar and a lap belt so I decided to sell and look for a real race car.
I bought the Cuda 3 years ago and sold the GTX right after.
In the time I've had the cuda, I re-wired the car, put a Gerstsuspensions.com tubular suspension in front, rebuilt motor and trans and am currently putting her on a diet.
It made a 10:15 pass when I first got it and to date my best is now 9.67 @ 138.
Trying for some 9.40's this spring.

70aarcuda · Dec 20, 2018

After a short racing career in Sacramento...I took about a 6 yr vacation courtesy of the USAF including little over 3 yrs in Italy, upon returning to the good old USA, I returned to Nellis AFB, driving to and from the Area 2 of the Base I could see what looked like a drag strip. Started going there to watch, and upon discharged I found a 73 340 Challenger for 800 bucks that had blown head gasket, Everything was there to get it running and I bought the car, and tried to flip it and make some money but the Challenger during the test drive for the new owner broke the rocker shaft and started missing. So no sale..

Decided to take it to the track....1st pass was in the 17 second range as the fish tailed off the starting line but had it in the 15s by the end of the day....after upgrades and usual hot rod parts I had the Challenger in the 12s... I had no money .....So one evening bracket racing a 64 Nova I was in the left lane and got the head start...as we were going thru the traps the nova crossed over in front of me and I hit him broadside. There was no barrier rail pass the end of the 1/4 and a berm on the left side of the track. We went up the hill and back down with the cars locked together, probably saved him from going airborne. The old challenger was toast, i had just put on a TA fiberglass hood that cost 300 bucks....Got nothing from the Nova guy, got a tow home from one of the racers as i used to flat tow the car to the track...I used motor..trans and whatever we could reuse and found a nice 72 340 Demon....never should have sold that car....
i lost the Challenger in April 1982.....fast forward 10 yrs...

I now have a 69 barracuda fast back....light weight car...aluminum interior...lexan windows...strut front in...could run 10s with a slant 6....lol
ok...now it is April 1992, bracket racing a 64 Nova from Bakersfield....as we clear the traps his engine blows up ...and slide across the track and hit me just behind the drivers door...and knocks me out into the desert.. the Nova does barrel rolls with it ending on his roof a couple hundred feet away I see him climbing out of the car thru the front windshield...He ends up in emergency room with glass in his eye...I get kicked out of the track cause someone said it thru 3 punches at him.....i laughed and saw if I swung at him 3 times and missed then I should be throw out...and besides my car is all dented up...I did not touch the car for a year cause I was so mad....took me two years to get the car repaired....you dont find 69 barracuda parts that easy....

Beside the body damage...the strut were bent from sliding sideways...and tires were flat spotted....the issue of being thrown out was later resolved cause I never thru any punches ...And again...got nothing from the other driver.....So went April 2002 rolled around I stayed home from the track....The barracuda did return...raced it up until 2010 or so....never got it repainted...as a reminder...

pittsburghracer · Dec 20, 2018

Wholly crap!!!!!!!!!! I can't even like that post. You had a rough go of it. Thank you for your Service.

qkcuda · Dec 21, 2018

Here is my first race car. It was a 273 Formula S car. Rebuilt the 273 and ran it a couple of years, and then scored a 340 out of a 71 duster to put in it. Ended up running high 11's before I blew it up. Sorry about the tiny pic it is the only one I have.

qkcuda · Dec 21, 2018

This was the car I did most of my racing in. It had just about every size small block in it over the years but ended up with a 360 that ran high 12's.

qkcuda · Dec 21, 2018

This is my current car. I figured I'd done the small block stuff so I decided to go big block with a 400. It ended up running high 12's. That expired on a cam change so I bought stroker internals and now it is a 500. Ironically this is the fastest car I have owned. It runs mid 11's and with all that torque it is a blast to drive on the street.

furrystump · Dec 21, 2018

I have only run my current car. 1968 340 formulas s fastback Back when I was a boy scout, my troop clean the bushes away from an elderly ladies house. While doing that I looked into the garage and there it was. I’m embarrased to admit it, but I call my father over and said hey! Look at that mustang! Doh! The slopping rear window threw me off!!!!!!! So the womans husband bought it new in 1968 and had a stroke in 1969. It had sat in that garage since! My father bought it a couple of weeks later. In highschool I ran it at New England Dragway. It ran 14.97 at 98mph bone stock with an open dif. I rebuilt the car in 2009 to use as a street car. Went to Englishtown wanting it to run in the 12’s. Never planning to go back. First run 12.99. Was walking through the pits and was stopped at the supercar factory appearing racing pits. It has been all down hill from there! Off come the aluminum heads,the eddy air gap, the big dish pistons, the bg mighty demon 825. The big street tires on rally rims. On goes all the stock pieces and ported x heads 800 AVS. and f-70 14 redlines and it just ran 11.83 at 116

pittsburghracer · Dec 21, 2018

furrystump said:
I have only run my current car. 1968 340 formulas s fastback Back when I was a boy scout, my troop clean the bushes away from an elderly ladies house. While doing that I looked into the garage and there it was. I’m embarrased to admit it, but I call my father over and said hey! Look at that mustang! Doh! The slopping rear window threw me off!!!!!!! So the womans husband bought it new in 1968 and had a stroke in 1969. It had sat in that garage since! My father bought it a couple of weeks later. In highschool I ran it at New England Dragway. It ran 14.97 at 98mph bone stock with an open dif. I rebuilt the car in 2009 to use as a street car. Went to Englishtown wanting it to run in the 12’s. Never planning to go back. First run 12.99. Was walking through the pits and was stopped at the supercar factory appearing racing pits. It has been all down hill from there! Off come the aluminum heads,the eddy air gap, the big dish pistons, the bg mighty demon 825. The big street tires on rally rims. On goes all the stock pieces and ported x heads 800 AVS. and f-70 14 redlines and it just ran 11.83 at 116

Goes to show you there are classes out there for everyone. A group at Keystone has started a (soft) rule NNS race. It cost around 25.00 to enter and pays out 600-800.00 and is paid totally buy the guys running the class. the 25.00 entry goes to the track. Trans brakes are allowed but have to dial to the .10 and foot brakers dial to the .05 with a .40 full tree so it evens the playing field. Nice to see ALL old-school cars.

Deweywinger&howe · Dec 21, 2018

pittsburghracer said:
Mine started out for several years on the street. First a 1970 Ford Maverick with a 300 straight six cylinder. Then in 1978 I bought my first Mopar and had a very good street racing record with my modified 340 (4 speed) It ran a best of 11.80

Post em up guys its gonna be a LONG Winter.

View attachment 1715264107My old Duster at Keystone 001 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

View attachment 1715264108John's 1972 Duster on a Nu-Be weekend 001 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

Then I wanted to build a big block car so locally I found a 1969 Dart roller and put together my first big block. Quickest ET with it was right around a 10.30.

View attachment 171526410969 dart 001 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

View attachment 171526411069 Dart at Norwalk with dad 001.jpg_thumb by John Cadamore, on Flickr

Then a Friend was selling a VERY clean 1974 roller so with a .030 over 440, stock rods reworked, and a stock crank it went 9.82

View attachment 1715264111race cars 002 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

View attachment 1715264112Norwalk many years ago 001 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

Then a 1982 Dodge Charger. Same engine combo and a little slower it was consistently in the 10.0's

View attachment 171526411382 charger 001 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

View attachment 171526411482 charger 001 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

Then it was time to step up my game and go faster. I bought my 1991 Dodge Daytona and fell in love with it. Over the years it had 3 different paint sceams and quickest ET was low 8.40's@160 mph. I bought my black 1970 during this period and my Son drove it till I rolled my Daytona when an oil line broke in 2010

View attachment 1715264115006 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

View attachment 1715264116174 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

View attachment 1715264117norwalk d by John Cadamore, on Flickr

After my wreck I started driving my 1970 Duster. When we bought it she was running high 11.80's but with lots of updates its now in the low 9.40's

View attachment 1715264118Halloween Classic 20018 001 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

View attachment 1715264119Untitled by John Cadamore, on Flickr

My story ends there until the 2019 when I hope to FINALLY hit the track with two of my other project cars. Health issues have hit me and slowed me some but I'm thinking these will be finished in time for race season.

View attachment 1715264120daytona and new duster 008 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

View attachment 1715264121572 install 004 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

I have light cars not big horses.They don’t break parts. You just charge the batteries,run the valves some.That way you can work on your restorations

Dfr360cuda · Dec 24, 2018

So.... Here's my highlight.
Won the Keystone Fall Championship and set a track record too.
Ha ha.
I loved going to PID.
I never got to race there since I didn't drive til after they closed in '76.

pittsburghracer · Dec 24, 2018

Dfr360cuda said:
So.... Here's my highlight.
Won the Keystone Fall Championship and set a track record too.
Ha ha.
I loved going to PID.
I never got to race there since I didn't drive til after they closed in '76.

View attachment 1715265829

View attachment 1715265830

How can you not love that. Crazy part is Andy Zarna popped into my head the bother day. He won a lot of racers in that old Cutlass of his. Thanks for posting

Its Winter. Tell your racing life's story.

FABO Gold Member

FABO Gold Member

FABO Gold Member

Well-Known Member

FABO Gold Member

Olddawg

Fusing with fire

Ace of Spades ♠️

Ace of Spades ♠️

Enhanced member

FABO Gold Member

FABO Gold Member

FABO Gold Member

7 Second dart

Well-Known Member

Master Hoader of SBM

FABO Gold Member

FABO Gold Member

FABO Gold Member

FABO Gold Member

Well-Known Member

FABO Gold Member

Well-Known Member

Diagnosis... Plum Crazy.

FABO Gold Member